What unusual times we live in and how amazing our community is in adapting and responding to uncertainty and change again. This afternoon, at the Victorian Government’s press conference, we were notified of a seven-day snap lockdown for the City of Ballarat effective from 11:59pm tonight.

Our Year 12 students and those Year 11 students studying a Unit 3 /4 subject and VCAL students will return to remote learning for tomorrow in line with the rest of the year levels at the College. Students that have been onsite have been asked to take their required resources home tonight. If your student has not collected all of their resources and is required to come onsite tomorrow please contact the office and we will facilitate a time for students to get the resources they need. Anyone onsite, at any time, must wear a mask. We ask that parents remain in the car and that students bring a container/bag to put the contents of their locker in it.

Damascus College will be open tomorrow to support students of essential workers and vulnerable students. Should you wish to access that support, we would appreciate you completing this form

https://forms.gle/KYrL2m4twjxZ6t619

The student free day that was scheduled for Friday will continue as planned.

I am also very mindful of the disappointment surrounding the loss of school activities that were planned at the College tomorrow for many of our Year 12 students. The Year 12 VCAL students had planned a COVID safe Ice Bucket Challenge. This event was carefully designed by the students in conjunction with their teachers as a means of safely demonstrating their outcomes for their VCAL certificate.

As we return for Term 4, we have not received clear direction on whether schools will be onsite or remote. Damascus College will be prepared for both scenarios, and we will share that information with the school community as it becomes available. We do know that the General Achievement Test (GAT) for Year 12 students and students studying a VCE Unit 3 / 4 sequence and/or second year VET will be conducted on Tuesday the 5^th October, the first Tuesday of next term. The precedent in 2020 was that schools did not return until the day after the GAT; however, we shall have to wait, and we will communicate the Government’s decision in due course.

In other news, today is Damascus Day. For the 26 year history of the College, Damascus Day has been celebrated on or near the last Wednesday of Term 3. This year Damascus Day is different to most years, but our Faith and Catholic Identity Assistant Principal, Tony Haintz, has worked hard to bring together the key dimensions of Damascus Day in a video presentation this morning. This year we commemorate 140 years of Mercy and diocesan collaboration to bring Catholic Education to the people of Ballarat. Our 140th anniversary coincides with the Sisters of Mercy ministry in Ballarat, and we pray for them today.

One of the great traditions of our Damascus Day is the announcement of our College Captains for the next school year. Our 2021 school captains, Maya Tolliday and Shaun Leonard, have been wonderful role models and ambassadors for the College. Again, this year, an extraordinarily talented group of young leaders expressed interest in this role. I thank all candidates for having the courage to put their hand up to lead – each of their contributions will be invaluable to the future growth of our school community. Today, I congratulate our 2022 Captains elect, Megan O’Beirne and Lewis Clarke.

We look forward to Maya and Shaun handing over to Megan and Lewis throughout Term 4. House Captain selection processes occurred this week, and after closely fought elections, the following results can be announced. Congratulations to our 2022 House Captains.

At the point where we do hopefully return onsite, students will transition to the summer uniform. We typically have a two week period where students can wear summer or winter uniform to accommodate for the variability of spring weather in Ballarat. Traditionally, Year 12’s have been able to wear winter uniform until they finish, and we will allow some flexibility in wearing either the summer or winter uniform until their final day. Year 12 students can wear their Hoodie in Term 4, except when representing the College.

For families who have a Year 7 child enrolled for 2022, we would typically run our Year 7 Testing day on the first Saturday back next term, Saturday 9^th October. This will not occur in 2021, and we will look to primary schools for alternate data sources or try and collect that information as students commence early next year.

I want to acknowledge some great support offered to Damascus College this term due to Matt Allan’s accident over the last holiday break. Peter Bond has generously come out of retirement to provide practical supervision for our Wood students this term. Peter was supported by Bronwyn Strachan, Melissa Griffin and Deb Kennedy. Deb has been selfless in taking on an extra day per week in Term 3 and ensuring that the practical wheels kept turning. To Deb, Melissa, Bron, and Peter, thank you for all you have done!!

Matthew Hallowell heads off on Long Service Leave (LSL) next term, and I thank Matt for all he has done in this challenging period with scheduling and re-scheduling of the GAT. Alysoun Smalley and Sarah McKnight will assume Matt’s VCE Coordinator role next term.

Neale Thompson also has well deserved LSL in Term 4. We wish Neale well, and he is being covered by a combination of Carley Young and Jasemyn Brooks.

Deb Hanson also has the first two weeks of next term LSL, so we wish Deb well.

Ange Hoban returns next term, and I want to thank Sarah Ruddick for her work backfilling Ange this term.

We will welcome back Deputy Principal, Chris Grant at the start of next term. Ashwin Pillai has done an extraordinary job stepping up this term. I am taking the first week as leave, so Ash and Chris will be in charge with the support of the rest of the Leadership Team at the start of next term. I again thank Ash, Sarah and Alysoun for their great support and commitment to senior leadership this term.

The College office will be open both weeks of the school holidays from 9.00am to 4.00pm daily, excepting a lunch break from 12:00pm to 12:45pm. Friday 24^th September is the Grand Final public holiday so the office will be closed that day.

It has been a very unusual term 3 with our in and out of lockdown. I commend students, staff and families for your efforts to continue quality learning and teaching in these challenging times. I hope we are able to continue to have some flexibility of movement throughout the holiday break and if you are travelling, do so safely. Thank you for your continued support of Damascus College; God bless.

Until the next communication preceding next term ….

MATT

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